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Sleeping With the Enemy
Chapter 10: Systematic Disassmbly
Special Extended Scene

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Severus watched the Gryffindor girls disappear around a corner, then closed his door and stood next to the couch, watching Neville sleep. He carefully gathered the stocky 16-year-old into his arms and carried him to his bedroom. Pulling back the covers, he placed Neville gently between the black silk sheets and covered him. Almost timidly, the bad tempered teacher reached out to brush back a few wayward wisps of brown-blonde hair. His hand hovered in the air, and then he turned abrubtly and left the room, leaving the door open slightly. He settled down in a chair and proceeded to stare meditatively into the fire.
Not much later, Severus could hear whimpers emerging from the other room. They subsided quickly, and as Snape listened, he heard silken sheets rustling and the pad of bare feet as Neville approached the door. Sad, scared green eyes peered into the dimly lit room, and Severus stood and nodded slightly at the hidden youth. Neville took this as encouragement; he inched through the gap and blinked upward at his teacher.
Strangely, Neville found that he wasn't really intimidated by the older man anymore. Or perhaps, he had faced scarier things, and minor demons such as this Potions Master no longer could frighten him. It didn't mean Neville wasn't still *wary* of the man, of course not, that would be foolish, but now, he *trusted* this man. Vague memories of a few hours before, //vulnerabilty// in the Infirmary, flitted through his mind's eye, and warmth, so acutely needed, grew and glowed heartily inside of him, beating back some of the freezing numbness that had taken hold of him.
"Are you all right?" Severus asked, his voice retaining its usual cold inflection, but it was augmented by a flicker of humanity in those piercing eyes. Empowered by this glimpse of compassion, the Gryffindor took a step forward, then another.
"I... need a... hug," Neville whispered, and pressed his face into the taller man's chest. Severus stared down in surprise, but then, not knowing quite how to react, haltingly put his arms about Neville in a loose embrace.
This touch of comfort melted some of the frost shielding Neville from pain, and small shudders coursed through his body. This bleeding gash in his emotions needed, cried out, *demanded* to be healed, and it seemed that his psyche had chosen the once-feared Potions Master for the job.
[start of extended scene -->]
Neville's legs began to collapse under him, so Severus deposited him onto the couch, then disappeared into another room. A few moments later, he returned, a steaming mug in one hand and a blanket in the other. He handed the mug to Neville, who breathed in the vapors and coughed. "Drink this. It will help with the dreams." Neville scrunched his nose at the offensive smell, but drank the brew anyway. Meanwhile, the teacher removed his robe, revealing black t-shirt and slacks beneath, and added another log to the fire. "Drink it all," he told him sternly, and Neville obeyed. Then Severus draped the blanket over him and seated himself on the sofa. The boy immediately curled up to his side.
He was still trembling. "I'm tired, but, I'm afraid to sleep," he admitted outloud.
"I brewed that tonic myself," Snape responded automatically. "It will make you sleep, and you will not dream. I promise you." And with those three words, Severus had unconciously committed himself to caring for this Gryffindor //child//.
"K." Neville's eyelids drooped, and he sleepily asked one more thing. "Will you stay, until I, um, fall asleep?"
"Yes." And so Neville dropped into comforting, dreamless slumber.



I know, I know, not much more, is it? I didn't include this in the real chapter 10 because I felt it went to in-depth into Neville and Snape's relationship, and in this fic I just want to leave it vague. However! Look for a followup fic for "Sleeping With the Enemy" about Nev+Sev!


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